Plastic people

Playmobil figures may stand just two and three-quarter inches tall, but their cultural impact has loomed large.

First marketed in 1974, Playmobil is now celebrating its 40th anniversary. The diminutive figurines are currently produced at a rate of 3.2 per second - faster than the growth rate of the world's human population - according to the manufacturers.

9 Apr 2014. Zirndorf, Germany. REUTERS/Ralph Orlowski

Strangely enough, the oil crisis of the 1970s was a driving force behind the introduction of Playmobil because it reduced the availability of plastic. The figurines had the advantage of being so small that they used relatively little of the material.

The toys, produced by German company Geobra Brandstatter, were a hit and the firm's Malta plant now has an annual capacity of around 100 million figures.

1 / 14

Slideshow

11 Apr 2014. VALLETTA, Malta. REUTERS/Darrin Zammit Lupi

Coloured pigments used to make Playmobil figures are seen on the production line at the company's factory in Malta.